Inlay, koftgari, repousse, chasing and neillo

[Yannis]

Battara,

No need for apologies. I have seen the same illusion myself, in photos and in reality under certain light Maybe because of the contrast with niello.

Someone told me that niello over flat silver may peel away, that's why it is more common the combination with chasing. Is this true?

In this particular scabbard niello is on flat silver and it looks high polished. The chassing in the middle is plain silver.

[Yannis]

Mare Rosu

Excellent work! I guess persian wootz blade with ottoman fittings

[Battara]

Rick

The wood is burled walnut on top. Thank you. I extrapolated the design from the kris hilt patterns in the kris shown as my avatar. I tried to match the theme done in swassa on the hilt:

[Battara]

Mare Rosu

Thank you for the clearer picture. I would say a mixture of hard soldering of patterned silver wire elements at the throat, then some repousse, then further down some embossing:

embossing : when first chasing the design onto the metal sheet, then afterwards flipping the sheet around and hammering from underneath. This makes a slightly different effect than repousse (where one hammers from underneath first .

Another note: it looks like the scabbard at least has Iragi influence and maybe from Bagdad.

Yannis

I would not be surprised that what you say is true. Instead of an oxidation only, niello is a thick plaque. On a plain smooth surface there would be less to which it could adhere, as opposed to a textured surface or at minimum a recessed area where it would have more to which to cling. Thus chasing or texturing the silver is most often done with the metal before niello is applied.

[rahman]

Where can we get the niello material, and how is it used/applied?

[Alam Shah]

Good question, rahman. I need some too. For touch-up work...

[knife7knut]

Battara:
Many thanks for the descriptions of the various techniques.I do have a question though:On the scabbard of the kindjal that Yannis posted,the beaded edges look almost like granulation. Is it possible to granulate silver or does that apply strictly to gold work?
I was curious because I read an article many years ago where a well-known knife maker was commissioned to re-create the so-called,"King Tut dagger" .He stated that one of the hardest things he had to do in the re-creation was the granuliziation of the gold that was seemingly everywhere on the knife.There were other problems working the gold but that was a real stumbling point.
My curiosity was aroused when I saw the picture. Thank you.
Cheers
Ray Smith aka knife7knut

[Alam Shah]

Originally Posted by rahman

Where can we get the niello material, and how is it used/applied?

Niello is a method of decorating metal objects using engraving techniques.

A method of decorating metal first used in Persia.

The desired pattern is cut rather deeply into the object to be ornamented and

the hollow filled with molten alloy of silver, copper, lead. It is then heated, rubbed with borax,

again heated, allowed to cool, rubbed smooth and burnished.

Darkened areas remain in the crevices after the object is polished.

(ref: G.C.Stone, A glossary of the construction, decoration and use of arms and armour, pg:469).

Not an easy process, skills and tools required.

[Yannis]

Originally Posted by Alam Shah

The desired pattern is cut rather deeply into the object to be ornamented and

the hollow filled with molten alloy of silver, copper, lead. It is then heated, rubbed with borax,

again heated, allowed to cool, rubbed smooth and burnished.

Darkened areas remain in the crevices after the object is polished.

Alam
I am not an expert on decoration but I have seen a lot of niello, new and old, and I am not sure that it is made with this technique. In places that niello is worn, there is no engraving under. I think they made it direct on silver.
Battara?